Sunday, May 19, 2013

Knicks Season Ends in Game 6 Loss to Pacers

The Knicks season has come to an end
with a loss in Game 6 against the Pacers Saturday night, ending what was their best
season in a long time. It was a tough
ending to the season as there were high expectations for the Knicks coming into
the season but they did improve upon their prior season for the third
consecutive year, so hopefully they will build upon this one next season. For tonight the effort was just not there consistently
enough as it could have easily been a blowout in the Pacers favor if not for a
big night from Carmelo Anthony and an inspired stretch in the third quarter
when the Knicks got hot. Questionable coaching
decision by head coach Mike Woodson and some interesting calls for the referees
were too much for the Knicks to overcome on the court as their season game to a
disappointing end in Indiana. The Knicks
will start their offseason program while the Pacers will move onto the Eastern
Conference Finals to take on the Miami Heat.

-Positives

Of the
Knicks tonight Anthony was the one who looked most like he was not ready
to see the season end. For much of
the game he was the only person the Knicks could count on on the offensive
end, as he carried the Knicks with 39 points on 15 of 29 shooting from the
field and perfect eight of eight from the foul line. Anthony added seven rebounds as well as
he did everything he could on the offensive end to keep the Knicks in the
game. Anthony got it going in
towards the end of the first quarter and into the second quarter as he
made five shots in a row after starting the game zero for three. It was a spirited effort from Anthony
who just did not get enough help on the offensive end for the Knicks to
take it out.

Iman
Shumpert led a furious comeback in the third quarter, knocking down three
threes in a row to bring the Knicks back into the game after falling
behind by double-digits. Shumpert
had a huge third quarter overall, scoring 16 of his 19 points in that
frame. Shumpert knocked down five
of his six three point attempts, adding three rebounds as well and his
normal great defense before fouling out after only 25 minutes played. Shumpert has looked better and better as
the season has gone on and it will be a pleasure to watch him next season
after a full training camp and not having to rehab an injury, instead being
able to work on his game.

Raymond Felton was unable to give the Knicks anything tonight, as he had his worst game this post season going zero for seven from the field and scoring only two points. Felton did add six assists and three rebounds, but was unable to give the Knicks that added scoring option as he was stifled as the pick-and-roll game was not as effective with Chandler being ineffective. Felton wasn't the only point guard to struggle as Jason Kidd's scoreless streak continued, giving him 10 games in a row without a point. There is a chance that Kidd may never again score a point in his career as retirement talks have surrounded Kidd throughout the end of the season.

The three
point shooting tonight was the only reason the Knicks were even in the
game in the first place. The Knicks
knocked down 13 of 30 three point attempts in the game, good for 43.3
percent. The Knicks were lucky they
hit a hot streak in the second half, knocking down eight of nine at one point;
otherwise the Pacers would have blown them out. The Knicks struggled inside the three
point line, going 21 of 55 inside the arc.

-Negatives

The Pacers
were able to expose many of the Knicks deficiencies in the game
tonight. One being their lack of
offense; had the Knicks not gotten hot from deep they would have been
blown out. Going 21 of 55 inside
the arc is unacceptable and not a winning formula. The lack of inside scoring presence was
front and center throughout the series for the Knicks who struggled from
the floor all series.

The numbers
at the end of the game aren’t awful, but the Knicks were once again
hammered on the boards by the Pacers.
The Pacers ended the game with a 43-36 edge in the rebounding, but
started the game with a much bigger edge as the Knicks didn’t grab their first
rebound until the seven minute mark of the first quarter.

One reason
for the huge rebounding disadvantage was the play of Tyson Chandler. He was awful throughout the series and
once again tonight as he was sorely outplayed by Roy Hibbert. Chandler just did not have it against
the Pacers and really throughout the playoffs as he looked lost at times
and was unable to slow Hibbert down, a big reason the Pacers took the
series.

Another player
that dominated the Knicks tonight was Brooklyn native Lance
Stephenson. Stephenson played quite
possibly the best game of his career, scoring 25 points on nine of 13
shooting, including 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal that led to an
and-one to break a 92-all tie and put the Pacers back ahead. Stephenson bullied the Knicks all night
as there was no one able to slow him down from attacking the paint and
getting to the basket at will. Hard
fouls from Chandler did not slow Stephenson down as he kept attacking and
really hurt the Knicks tonight.

The foul
and free throw disparity tonight were so lopsided they were comical. On the night, the Knicks attempted only
18 free throws, making them all on 16 Pacer personal fouls compared to 46
attempts, 34 which were made on 34 Knick fouls. That kind of disparity is unheard of especially
in the playoffs, as the Knicks were on the wrong side of a lot of 50/50
and questionable calls.

Mike
Woodson has put himself squarely on the hot seat; being as stubborn as
ever he really cost the Knicks the series.
He continued to use Chandler on Hibbert even though he was being
dominated while he had a capable defender in Marcus Camby on the
bench. He also showed too much
trust in J.R. Smith, who struggled yet again in going four of 15 from the
field for 15 points. Woodson took
too long to go to players such as Chris Copeland and it cost the Knicks in
the playoffs and possibly his job.
Woodson was unable to make adjustments in the series and continued
his poor performances in the playoffs as a head coach.